USA Today was blasted on Twitter this past weekend — and rightfully so — for their misguided characterization of the friend-themed hit movie, The Best Man Holiday, as a race-based product that shocked film prognosticators with a $30.6 million opening weekend.
Spike Lee’s cousin, Malcolm D. Lee, wrote and directed the Universal romantic comedy sequel that debuted against the Marvel superhero sequel, Thor: The Dark World, which took in $38.5 million.
When that headline incited a blowback of caustic complaints, it was soon changed to “ ‘Holiday’ Nearly Beats ‘Thor’ as Ethnically Diverse Films Soar.” The original tweet was deleted, too.
To further illustrate their fumbling and bumbling over the topic, USA Today changed the title a third time to simply read: “The Best Man Holiday’ Nearly Beats ‘Thor.’
The damage was done, however, and social media ripped the major national newspaper chain for its ridiculous title and perspective on the movie that scarcely spent a moment discussing race.
Take a look at what they had to say:
And the “othering” of the film by @USATODAY …this film isn’t for you, it’s for THEM. ‘Them’ isn’t normal nor do we USUALLY care 2 c THEM’.
— Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) November 17, 2013
And while @USAToday is high fiving that Thor beat “that colored movie” I’m guessing it was in twice as many theaters.
— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) November 17, 2013
The material consequence of the @USATODAY cover is that Black cultural products get marginalized and ignored by broader audiences.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 17, 2013
I’m not offended by the @USATODAY cover.But it speaks to how difficult the world finds it to see Black experience as applicable to the world
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) November 17, 2013
